In a charged Friday night atmosphere at World Equestrian Center-Ocala (Florida), Christian Simonson and Indian Rock topped the CDI-W Grand Prix freestyle, earning a 78.84%.
“I think this was one of the larger crowds—maybe not that he’s experienced—but I think that he and I have experienced together,” said Simonson of the 12-year-old Dutch Warmblood stallion (Apache—Crisjena, Vivaldi) owned by Zen Elite Equestrian Center. “Seeing everyone in the stands was special in and of itself, but he is just so dependable. It all kind of clicked in his head. He was like, ‘OK, I know my job, and I’ll do it for you.’ From there, it was a really, really fun feeling throughout the whole freestyle.”
Simonson, who won a World Cup qualifier at TerraNova’s October CDI, is making a strong bid toward qualifying for the 2026 FEI Dressage World Cup Final in Fort Worth, Texas, this April. The 23-year-old rider said that he would attend if he qualifies and the plan aligns with what’s best for his horse.
“It would be a real honor to be there in Fort Worth,” Simonson said. “Having it be a home World Cup Final makes it extra special and to be there to represent the U.S.A. would be an amazing experience.”
Brittany Fraser-Beaulieu and Jill Irving’s Jaccardo (Desperado—Evita, Jazz) placed second in the freestyle with 75.11%, while Erin Nichols and Elian Royale (Johnson—Zafradine, Amidou), owned by Premiere Sport Horses, were third with 73.79%. Frasier-Beaulieu is also coming off a World Cup qualifier win with Jaccardo at the Royal Horse Show (Ontario) in November. The Canadian Olympian said she was pleased with the pair’s performance in just their third Grand Prix-level competition.
“We’ve come a long way,” Fraser-Beaulieu said. “I’m here to get experience and to understand how he travels, how he copes in an indoor. Our partnership is so new that I’m looking to see how the rideability is.
“He’s a very hot and sensitive horse,” she continued of the 11-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding. “But he shows so much potential in the ring. He’s an incredible horse to ride, and I feel so fortunate to be able to ride such an animal. This weekend I had little bit of green mistakes here and there, but I also have to figure out my aids on such a hot horse as well as how to read him in the ring. The more I show, the more confidence I’ll have to be able to go clean.”
If the pair continues their upward trend, they could be the first Canadians to qualify for the FEI Dressage World Cup Final since 2013. “I don’t have any set plans in mind,” she said. “But I would go if the cards align. He’s surprised me so much in the past six months. I want to keep that positivity and willingness to show. I’m taking it day-by-day.”
Nichols placed third on her longtime partner, Elian Royale, a 16-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding she moved up the levels with from the Young Rider division to U25, and now to Grand Prix.
“I’m so proud of him,” she said. “We have such a good relationship that now he goes in the ring, he understands me, he trusts me, and he’s like, ‘I got it. I can do this.’ That’s cool to have, even in our first time indoors.
“I want to keep it super positive for him this year and just keep slowly introducing him to bigger atmospheres and seeing what he does,” Nichols added. “I always want it to be a good experience because he’s really starting to trust me in the ring, and that’s the most important.”
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